Sew you want to learn to quilt and need a sewing machine to get started. Let me help you make the best decision for you.

Buying a Sewing Machine – Why an Inexpensive Machine Usually Means a Poorly Made Machine

When buying a sewing machine, let me tell you why an inexpensive machine usually means a poorly made machine.

I know that you’re just getting started and don’t want to drop a lot of money on a machine, when you’re not even sure you are going to enjoy quilting. I totally get it. When I went to purchase my first machine, I dropped by my local sewing machine dealer and ended up spending around CAD$225. This was in 2003 and I bought more of a machine than I was going to need to make quilts.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a big budget, but you really don’t want to spend so little that you end up with a machine that could act as a doorstop.

Metal vs. Plastic Gears

There are sewing machines priced from less than $100 to more than $10,000. These are sewing machines and not long arm quilting machines or multi needle embroidery machines.

What separates the low end from the high end is the quality of the machine. Low end machines tend to be 100% plastic including the gears inside. Plastic gears often break easily and frequently cannot be replaced.

You may be wondering what differentiates higher end machines like my Bernina 770QE from low end machines. Mostly, it is the metal body and metal gears inside, as well as the onboard computer.

Read the Reviews

Now that you know that low end sewing machines are almost always 100% plastic, your next step is to Google “sewing machines for beginner quilters”, and read reviews of the machines you think would work for you. I cannot stress this enough.

Before I bought my big Bernina, I gave in and purchased a Janome MC8900 instead. I didn’t want to spend Bernina money and thought the Janome would perform just as well. It didn’t even come close.

I read multiple reviews on the Janome and there were multiple complaints about the machine struggling to sew through quilting intersections. This is a huge problem for a quilter, however I put that off to user error or the learning curve we all experience with new machines. Guess what? I experienced the exact same problem. So, if you see multiple reviews about the same problem, believe that there is a problem and it isn’t just user error.

Buy from a Dealer

In your search for your first machine, the best thing you can do is Google “Sewing Machine Dealers Near Me.” If you have local dealers, go visit. Tell them that you are looking for your first machine for quilting, and they can help guide your choices.

Sewing machine dealers will teach you how to use your machine, fix your machine when it needs fixing, and often have trade-ins available for purchase. A trade-in is a machine that was traded in by a customer towards the price of their new machine when they upgraded machines. The machine will be cleaned and tested to make sure it is in perfect working condition, have at least a one year warranty, and will be priced well below MSRP. This way you can get way more machine for your buck.

If you don’t have any local sewing machine dealers, I highly recommend purchasing from an online sewing machine dealer. Although your machine will be shipped to you, they can still help you with lessons, etc.

Purchasing a sewing machine from Amazon or a Big Box Store should be your last option. The machines carried there are frequently the bottom of the line machines full of plastic parts. As stated above, often they cannot be fixed at all, and will be sent to landfill instead. Do you really want to end up with a machine bound for landfill? No, I didn’t think so.

Be wise, do some research and purchase a machine that will at least be your primary machine for a few years. Expect that as you continue to quilt and sew, your taste and required machine features can and will change. There is nothing wrong with upgrading in a couple of year’s time, but make sure you keep your first machine around. It is always best to have a backup so that when your machine is in the shop, you don’t have to stop sewing completely while you wait for your machine to be repaired.

I hope you have found this helpful. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to email me here. Thanks for reading.

For more helpful articles and quilting tips and tricks, make sure you follow me on YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.